After three days of rain, the sun finally came out and we were able to salvage the last four days of our vacation.

Are you a word wiz?

Which one of these word groups do you think entered English at about the same time as "salvage"?

A. potato, ranch, surgeon

B. eardrum, gravitation, undersea

C. ostrich, melody, bacteria

D. magnitude, infirmary, traffic

The mid-1600s was a time of scientific inquiry and saw the introduction of some notable words relating to science. These include "eardrum," the membrane that separates the outer and middle ear and carries sound waves to the middle ear, and the force of attraction that tends to draw particles together that's known as "gravitation." The adjective "undersea" also points to a sense of exploring new horizons. Meanwhile, wealthy people could pet a "lapdog," while wearing "plush" clothing, and having their portrait painted in "profile," besides managing to "supervise" a team of servants.